Top 5 Fight Scenes
Hi everyone –
After 40 books, I thought it might be fun to start spotlighting a few books from my backlist.
Because I write paranormal books, I have a blast with fight scenes! I have a hard time choosing favorites, but I did my best to come up with a list of the Top 5 Fight Scenes that have stuck in my head after so many books!
Let me know in the comments if I missed any of your favorites…
Ready to rumble?
Sedona Seduction (Sedona Pack) – This was Vance’s book and I was so eager to get into his head. He was a Nero jaguar assassin, one of the best, and I finally got to see him find redemption and find out why he did what he did…
Shots rang out from the woods. I didn’t need night vision goggles to see the armed agents spilling out of the satellite facility. Some faces I recognized, others were strangers, but none of them was Duane Clarkson.
I waited behind a boulder outside the building, waiting for a break in the action. Patience and a cool head had kept me alive so many times before it was now second nature, a skin I could slip into more easily than I wished. I wanted to believe I had put my life as an assassin behind me. Maybe not as far as I hoped. A gust of wind hit me, carrying a scent I recognized instantly.
Werewolves. Shit. Had Asher brought the pack up here?
I shook off the shock, fighting to stay focused. They could protect themselves. They weren’t my responsibility, not tonight.
I scanned the area. Nothing moved. This was my moment.
Drawing my gun, I sprinted through the doors. The bare concrete floor of the hall allowed me to move silently into the bowels of the facility. I’d been inside once before to help Asher rescue Naomi, but I was far from knowing my way around the place. If Duane was leading them now, his office likely wouldn’t be on the first floor. He’d be on one of the lower floors, well hidden from the rest of the world. Well guarded, too. Natasha was probably close by to handle that part. She’d been Antonio Severino’s gatekeeper at Nero headquarters and was as deadly as she was beautiful. Naomi had tangled with her when they brought her here a few months ago. If I could avoid Natasha, I would.
I glanced at the elevator but decided the stairs were a better option. I pulled the door open, and the coppery stench of blood immediately assaulted my senses. I froze, raising my gun before creeping farther onto the landing. I looked around slowly, keeping my weapon up and ready. I peered over the railing to the lower level landing. My stomach roiled. The familiar scent was undeniable. There, at the bottom of the first flight of stairs, was Trager, sitting in a puddle of crimson.
“Fuck.” I holstered my gun as I raced down the steps. Crouching beside him, I checked for a pulse.
He knocked my hand away. “I’m not fucking dead yet.”
Relief washed through me. “We need to get you out of here, mate.”
He lifted his head, exposing his blackened eye, split lip, and battered forehead. “Duane knows we’ve been talking.”
“Another reason to get you far from this place.”
He rested his head back against the wall. “We both know how this ends. Leave me and get your girl someplace safe.”
I clenched my jaw, eyeing the stab wound in his gut. “I’m not leaving you behind.”
“You’ve lived with wolves too long.” He smirked, his bloody teeth a testament to the beating they’d given him before they fucking stabbed him. “We work alone, remember?”
Duane could have put a bullet in Trager’s head. The bastard knew we couldn’t risk taking Trager to a hospital, and he also knew sentencing Trager to a long painful death would slow me down. All our training told me I should leave him here. I couldn’t save him anyway. As a trained agent for Nero, I understood this. But I wanted to believe I wasn’t that guy anymore.
“Sorry, mate. You’re coming with me.” I wrapped his arm around my shoulders and lifted both of us to our feet.
Trager groaned in protest, but he was vertical. I eyed the stairs and shook my head. No way he could walk up, even with my help.
“This is gonna hurt like hell.” I bent my knees and hoisted him onto my shoulder. My legs trembled with the effort. Trager probably outweighed me by at least twenty pounds, but we were stronger than ordinary men and I was not going to let him die with his enemies. Hell, if I could, he wouldn’t die at all.
I cracked the door at the landing, peering into the hallway. The elevator opened and a man dressed in black exited with a gun in his hand.
“Hall’s clear, sir,” he whispered into his headset. “Maybe he’s still in the woods with the wolves.”
I counted to five to see if anyone else came out of the elevator. They didn’t. He was alone, and I was carrying an injured man. As far as I was concerned, I still had the upper hand. I pushed through the door, knowing full well the scent of Trager’s blood would alert my target to our presence.
The agent stopped. I drew the knife from my belt, slowing my breathing and imagining that time itself slowed with me. Ice filled my veins as the agent turned around. I launched the dagger before he could make a sound. The blade hit him right in the heart. His mouth gaped as he fell to the ground.
I grabbed the handle as we passed by, wiping the blade clean on my pants before holstering it again. As I reached the door, a new scent teased my nostrils.
Kaya.
The chill in my veins faltered, jerking me out of my the frosty kill zone I had been in. I moved as fast as I could through the doors and into the night, trying not to jostle Trager too much. Gunfire deafened my ears, and a bullet whizzed past me toward the building. When we made it to the edge of the woods, I slowed my pace, following her scent.
She was crouching by the same boulder I’d taken cover behind earlier, her gun at the ready. Behind me, two agents lay motionless on the ground.
Kaya frowned. “Who is that? What happened?”
“This is Trager. My inside man.” I knelt down, carefully lying him on the ground.
He wheezed, and his eyelids fluttered. “Duane told…” He coughed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
“He’s freezing,” Kaya whispered. “We need to stop the bleeding.”
I took off my coat and laid it over my friend as I scanned the woods. “Is Cole with you? He’s lost a lot of blood.”
She shook her head. “Cole’s at the ranch.”
My heart sank. Even if we managed to slow the external bleeding, without surgery to close the internal wounds, we’d lose him.
“It’s too late.” Trager blinked, meeting my eyes. “This is on them.” His voice dropped to a weak whisper. “Not your fault.”
I couldn’t deal with this, but there was no escaping it. “Who did Duane tell?”
Trager winced, coughed, and hissed. “Deidra…Harlow.”
I glanced at Kaya. She shrugged. I didn’t recognize the name, either.
Asher stepped into the clearing, his eyes widening. He knelt beside me. “What happened?”
“Duane found out Trager was helping me.”
Trager wasn’t shivering anymore. His breathing came faster now, shallower. We were losing him.
Kaya met my eyes. “I sent a text to Cole. He’s waiting at the ranch.” Pity shone in her eyes. “He’ll do what he can, but without a hospital…”
“I know.” I broke eye contact to stare at Trager’s beaten face. This never would have happened if I hadn’t pushed him for more information. I’d take it back if I could, but it was too late for that.
Guilt mutated into rage as Trager’s final breath passed his lips. Duane could’ve ended him quickly. He wanted Trager to suffer, and for me to find him.
Nothing would save those assholes from my vengeance. Nothing.
Night Walker (Night Series) – Calisto was my very first hero, and he’s still a reader favorite. I loved this scene! He had so much fun toying with Kate’s ex…
“I’m surprised to see you… ” Her voice trailed off when another man approached them.
The man smiled at her and opened his arms, attempting to embrace her. “That was amazing, Kate. Really beautiful.”
Kate stepped back and turned toward Calisto.
Who was this man? Kate’s shoulders were tense, and she crossed her arms as if to shield her heart. Calisto’s gaze cut to the other man. Kate was definitely not happy to see him. Therefore, Calisto wanted him gone.
He stepped close to intercept the man and offered his hand. “I do not believe we have met. I am Calisto Terana.”
The man shook with a firm grip and smiled. “I’m Tom Hardy.”
“Tom is my ex-fiancé,” Kate said.
Calisto’s eyes narrowed and his hold on the other man’s hand tightened. Tom immediately yanked it back with a grimace.
“That’s some grip you have there,” he muttered.
Calisto touched the small of Kate’s back, his eyes never leaving Tom’s face.
“You must have been a fool to let Kate go.” Calisto struggled to keep his voice smooth and calm. Kate moved closer to him, but he wouldn’t take his eyes off the man who had broken her heart. He had no intention of allowing the man to touch her again. Ever.
Tom’s chin rose slightly. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but Kate and I need to talk.”
“As I recall, we were already talking. It was you who interrupted.”
Tom’s smile faded, his brow furrowed. “I don’t know who you are, but Kate and I were engaged until very recently, so back off.” He reached for Kate, but Calisto moved forward, his muscles tight, ready to attack. Tom dropped his hand to his side. “Can we go someplace and talk, please? I never got to explain.”
Kate sighed. “There’s nothing to talk about, Tom. What I saw was explanation enough, okay? I’m starting to feel better. I don’t want to pick at the scab.”
“So that’s it? You’re going to throw away the past two years like they never happened?”
“Why not?” She shrugged, seeming tired and annoyed. “You did.”
Without another word, Kate stormed out of the lounge.
Calisto watched her go before glaring at Tom. He opened himself to Tom’s thoughts, peering into his memories until he saw the look of betrayal and hurt on Kate’s face when she caught Tom with another woman.
Calisto ground his teeth together. He wanted to kill him for hurting her.
Tom turned to follow Kate, but Calisto caught his elbow and yanked him back. “You have hurt her enough.”
“Who are you to judge me?”
Calisto squeezed his arm. “I am someone who cares about her.”
Tom tried to pull away. “Let go of me, asshole.”
Calisto opened his hand, and Tom wrenched his arm free.
“Stay out of this,” Tom said. “You don’t know anything about Kate. And this doesn’t concern you.”
He tried to go after her again, but Calisto stepped into his path. It was all he could do to keep his eyes from glowing with fury. “I know that you hurt her. That is enough for me.”
Tom shoved him hard, but Calisto didn’t move.
“I told you to leave her alone,” Calisto said, his voice low and menacing.
Tom punched him in the jaw. His teeth cut through his lower lip, filling his mouth with blood.
Calisto smiled, grabbing Tom’s shirt and yanking him close. “Remember that you started this fight.” Calisto hurled him backwards.
Screams echoed through the nightclub as Tom crashed into the bar, and his body hit the ground. Calisto walked over to him and jerked him back to his feet. Tom’s shirt reeked of rum and beer, and blood trickled down his chin and along his hairline.
The scent toyed with Calisto’s hunger. He wet his lips, struggling to focus. Tom kicked and struggled until Calisto dropped him on the ground.
“I’m going to sue you for assault!” Tom scrambled to his feet and glanced at the crowd that gathered around them.
“Call my attorney.” Calisto smirked and straightened his shirt.
“What the hell is wrong with you two?” Kate pushed her way through the onlookers and stared at the blood on Calisto’s shirt and Tom’s battered face.
Tom glared at Calisto and reached for Kate’s hand.
“Don’t touch me.” She stepped back.
Tom frowned. “I wanted to apologize and talk things over.” He nodded toward Calisto. “Until Zorro over here decided you were a damsel in distress.”
Calisto raised a brow at the comment.
Kate looked at him with disgust. “Is that what you think? Did you think I couldn’t handle this myself?”
“You made it clear you did not want to discuss the past with him. I followed through on your request.”
“By beating him senseless?”
Calisto looked at Tom, then back to her. “Perhaps he never had any sense to begin with.”
“That’s it!” Tom yelled and lunged toward Calisto. Two men in the crowd held him back, and Kate shook her head.
“You know what? I’m done talking to both of you.” She turned to Tom. “Our relationship is over.” She gave Calisto her attention. The fire in her eyes made his heart pound. “You had no right to come here and get involved in my personal business. I don’t need you or anyone else to fight my battles for me.”
She backed away, shaking her head. “I don’t want to see you again. I’m done.” Her gaze lingered on Calisto for a long moment. “With both of you.”
Without another word, Kate stormed out of the casino.
Harvest Moon (Moon Series) – Jason was the Reno Pack’s doctor and I’d tortured him for three books. I loved writing this one and seeing how he was channeling his rage in an underground fight club…
We met in the center of the ring, face-to-face, while Roddy barked out his usual reminders. No low blows, no head butts, and once a fighter was down, you waited for the count over in your corner. We knocked gloves and went to our corners. There weren’t any stools, no trainers to sponge you down, only a fresh towel to wipe away blood and a fresh rubber mouth guard. I popped mine in, grinding my teeth while I awaited the bell.
The ding set us moving toward the center of the ring. Shark came in like a freight train. He jabbed my ribs with his right, nudging me toward the ropes. I countered with an uppercut to his jaw, knocking him back a couple of steps. He shook his head, snarling around his yellow mouthpiece, and came back at me, landing a combination to my midsection that knocked the air from my lungs.
Strong opponent. Good.
I blinked, stoking the fire inside of me. This was no longer a man in the gym. This wasn’t a man at all. This was a fight with fate and destiny. I landed a right and a left to his body for my father’s fever. He stumbled back toward the ropes and I pursued, landing a jab to his chin for my mother’s heartbreak over caring for her husband who might never speak to her again.
Left, right, to the body, to the head. He put his hands up to block my attack to his face, so I concentrated on his body; each punch became a retribution for my inability to save Malcolm, my inability to wake my father. Every bad choice I had made in the last year, I pummeled into Shark’s body.
His big hands shoved at my shoulders and I lost my balance, jogging back a few steps to steady myself. Shark heaved for breath while I waved him forward, inviting his attack. I wasn’t ready for the fight to end. Not yet. His punches, the pain they brought, were a penance for my failures, a reminder to keep fighting.
The bell rang. I wiped my face and waited for round two, watching Shark struggle to catch his breath. Marv came by with a water bottle and a bucket. I took the water and winked at him.
“Thanks.”
He grinned. “You’re doing good, Wolf.”
I swished the water around and spit into the bucket as the bell rang again. Shark came on the attack before I got out of my corner. His right hand was relentless, pummeling my abs until my entire body ached. I lowered my elbows to block his attack, and his left hand clocked me in the eye.
Stars lit around the edge of my vision. I bit down on my mouthpiece, forcing myself to stay upright. I landed a couple of unfocused blows, trying to break out of the corner where he had me pinned. Shark’s knee slammed into my balls. Hard. It was all I could do to stay on my feet and not curl into the fetal position on the floor.
Shark backed away with a glint in his eyes.
“No low blows, Shark!” Roddy yelled. “Next time you’re out.”
Oh, there wasn’t going to be a goddamned next time.
I rushed him, slamming him back into the ropes. He couldn’t escape my attack, trapped by a flurry of punches. My attack to his ribs had him breathless, and when he started to stumble sideways, I caught him, pinning him upright in the corner so I could hit his face. Again and again. Right, left, right.
“Okay, Wolf. Enough.” Roddy forced his way between my prey and me. “Damn it, Wolf, I’m callin’ the fight. Back off.”
I stumbled backward and Shark timbered onto the floor.
Oh shit. I’d lost myself to this dark pit eating away at my sanity. What the hell was I doing? Regardless of the beating this guy gave me or the kick to the balls, I had to help him.
His pulse thumped in a steady rhythm I had no trouble hearing with my heightened senses, but blood ran from a cut over his eye, and his nose and lip bled onto the mat. There was also a better than average chance he had a nasty concussion. I rushed over, tearing at the ties on my gloves with my teeth as Roddy counted down.
Ripping the glove off my right hand, I called to Marv. “Get me some ice and a clean towel.”
Roddy declared my victory while I pressed ice to the back of Shark’s neck. He groaned.
Conscious.
Marv took over holding the ice pack on Shark’s skull, and I got up and out of the ring. Alone in my locker room, I rested my head in my hands. Every fight, it took more blood and more pain to quench the fire. I could’ve killed that man. Where was the line in the sand? Aggression and anger were changing me into someone I didn’t recognize. I’d taken an oath to preserve life.
This…this club, these nameless fighters…I was far from my calling.
Tremors racked my usually steady hands.
I was spiraling out of control, and I didn’t have a fucking clue how to stop it.
Pirate’s Promise – This book was so much fun! I had two weapons experts and a cursed sword and so many battles…
Greyson balanced the empty bottles on the railing at the stern of the ship.
He shouldn’t let her get under his skin, but it was too late. He couldn’t get her condescending smile out of his head. He’d outshoot her, and maybe then she’d loosen up and he could enjoy the trip to Glasgow Harbor.
Maybe.
“I’m ready if you are.”
He turned around at the sound of her voice, his lips curving into a grin in spite of his annoyance with her. “I’m always ready.”
She rolled her eyes. “Just tell me where we’re standing.”
He crossed to her side, glancing over at the bottles. “This is a good warm up. Twenty-five feet?”
“Works for me.” She lifted her Glock, parting her legs into a solid stance.
She sized up the target, adjusting for the wind, and squeezed the trigger. The shot echoed through the night and the bottle exploded. She turned toward him with a smile that stole his breath and his bravado.
This was Aura. This was the woman she buried under all that hardass bullshit. She was more than a light. She was a beacon.
And just like that, it was gone. She holstered her Glock and raised a brow. “Happy?”
He nodded with a shrug. “Not bad.” He lifted his gun one-handed, his gaze sliding down the barrel to the center of the bottle, and fired. Glass shattered, disappearing from the railing, and from the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of her smile again.
His fucking heart lurched. What the hell?
He straightened. “Further back?”
She nodded, backing up a few more paces. Her feet moved apart, her knees bent, naturally compensating for the swells rocking the Sea Dog beneath them.
The wind tugged at her dark hair as she raised her weapon, her eyes focused on the target. Her lips parted slightly, her nostrils flaring. He could almost see her instinctively adjusting her aim for the gust of wind.
This wasn’t just someone who was well-trained at a gun range. She was one with her weapon. Part of her soul would guide the bullet to its target.
Or that’s how it seemed when he fired.
She pulled the trigger and the bottle exploded. There was that smile again. Before he could say anything, she bottled up the unbridled joy, all business again.
“Your turn.”
He inspected his gun and holstered it. “How about we make this interesting?”
“How so?”
“I have a couple of flintlock pistols in the armory. They’re not as precise as a Glock. You’ve probably never…”
The moonlight danced in her dark eyes. “I have, actually.”
He raised a brow, unable to hide his admiration. “Yer toyin’ with me.”
“No.” She shook her head, crossing her arms, but her lips were barely holding back a grin. “I’m trained in historic and mythical weaponry.”
“I’m impressed.” He pointed to a barrel near the railing. “Set up a few more bottles, I’ll be right back.”
He returned to the weapons room and took down a pair of flintlock pistols, then grabbed a pouch of steel pellets, gunpowder, and packing supplies, then went back to the stern.
Aura leaned against the railing, staring up at the moon. The cool glow of moonlight softened her features, offering him a glimpse of the woman behind her Agent Henderson shield.
She was beautiful and deadly. His favorite combination.
Too bad she hated him.
Definitely for the best.
He cleared his throat and waited for her to turn. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She took one of the revolvers, determination glinting in her eyes. “Did you load them already?”
He chuckled. “Nah, that’s half the fun, lass.” He shook his head before she could correct him. “Agent Henderson.” He raised a brow. “I didn’t mean any offense.”
“You’re just saying that because I’m armed.” She grinned.
Was she actually teasing him? She opened the pouch and started packing the barrel of the pistol. She was fucking glorious.
“Cut an old pirate some slack.” He chuckled, pouring in the powder. He glanced her way as he wrapped the steel ball in the small patch of fabric and dropped it inside the barrel of the pistol. She was keeping up with him, obviously experienced with the weapon. He tamped it all down with the ramrod and lifted the revolver.
“You don’t look old to me.” She packed the load in her barrel down and looked over at him. “How old are you really?”
His gaze locked on hers. “Don’t you have that in your files?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I did.” She set aside the gunpowder and gripped the revolver, gauging the weight in her hand. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter.”
“I’m old enough to know better than to try firing these old dogs into the wind.”
A sly smile curved her lips. “Afraid you might miss the target?”
“No.” He lifted his gun, focusing all his attention down the barrel, to the center of the bottle on the railing. “Afraid you might miss and damage the ship.”
He pulled the trigger, absorbing the recoil as the loud shot rang in his ears. The bottle exploded and he lowered his still-smoking gun. “Your turn.”
She looked over at him with raised brows. “Impressive.”
In a fluid movement, she lifted the heavy revolver to shoulder height, her knees bent, and her aim slightly north of the bottle. Without hesitation, she squeezed the trigger. The crack of thunder didn’t even make her flinch. The bottle was obliterated.
Laughter bubbled from his throat. “You are fucking amazing with a weapon.”
“Thanks.” She pursed her lips, blowing across the smoking barrel.
A raw jolt of desire slid through his veins, leaving his voice ragged and rough as he took a step toward her. “You’re a natural.”
And in that moment, the light in her eyes vanished. She handed him the gun. “Thanks for the target practice. We’re going to make a solid team.”
He watched her walk away, his jaw slack and his brain full of questions. He replayed the conversation and frowned. Had he said something wrong? He’d complimented her.
But that wasn’t going to make her forget the mission he’d fucked up for her back in Savannah. She disappeared around the corner and he reminded himself that he didn’t want her forgiveness anyway.
And he shouldn’t want to make her smile again either.
Legend of Love – When I started writing the Muse Chronicles I knew that the Guardians would all have heroic jobs and Hunter was my Navy SEAL… He and Callie had so much chemistry and Hunter wasn’t going to lose her without a fight!
Suddenly, a boat engine turned over.
“No!” He spun around, scanning for movement. “No, no, no. Fuck!”
He left Alicia and dove back into the marina, swimming back toward the Tartarus. He was lighter now without Alicia’s extra weight, but his muscles ached and his lungs were straining.
But none of that mattered. Callie was still on that boat.
He stretched his arms, cupping his fingers to get more power, propelling him through the water. Ahead, the white yacht was on the move, sliding between two docked boats. If they got out to the open ocean, he didn’t stand a chance. He had to stop them. Now.
He needed to kill the engine somehow. But with what? He’d find something. The marina was just over twelve feet deep. He could make that dive in his sleep.
While the boat turned and bobbed through the anchored skiffs, Hunter pushed, digging deeper for one last surge of adrenaline. He sucked in a breath, filling his lungs, and shot down to the rocky bottom of the marina like a torpedo. Feeling around the darkness, he found what he was looking for. He gripped the mossy scrap of wood and pushed up to the surface.
He broke through, gasping for air as he turned to locate the boat. It was still idling through the other vessels anchored in the harbor. This was his chance.
Kicking his legs, he swam closer, still gripping the waterlogged two-by-four. He prayed to whomever might be listening and took another deep breath.
***
Callie stopped struggling, her gaze locked on the discarded electric stick on the deck. If she could get to the weapon, it might give her an opportunity to escape. Even if she had to dive overboard, her chances of survival were better in the water than on this damned boat.
Another man in a gold mask came out of the cabin. His voice was an octave lower than the one holding her arms behind her back.
“The girl is gone. Search the boat. If the soldier is still on board, shoot on sight. We’ll dump the bodies out in the ocean. There will be no ties to us.”
Callie’s heart banged against her ribs. Hunter had gotten Alicia. But they hadn’t planned on the boat leaving the marina. Nate was still on the dock, and Hunter was in the water. Maybe he was already onshore with his sister. Hopefully.
Either way, she was on her own. A pang of regret bubbled in her stomach. The irony that she hadn’t realized how much Hunter meant to her until it was too late was a bitter pill to swallow. This wasn’t how she’d imagined her life ending. Not by a long shot.
Her captor and the “enforcer” disappeared into the cabin, leaving her with the deep-voiced masked man and Curtis. Now that Alicia was out of danger, she had no idea if she could trust Curtis. He could be back on team Kronos already, for all she knew.
She stared at the masked man and took a casual step toward the railing. He crossed the deck and wrapped his fingers around her upper arm in a painful vise grip. “It’s much too soon for you to leave us.”
With his other hand, he withdrew a silver pistol, aiming it at Curtis. “And I’m afraid you’ve become a liability, Professor.”
Curtis’s eyes widened. “No. I didn’t tell them anything. I just didn’t want Alicia to be hurt. That’s all…”
The masked man fired a single bullet into Curtis’s chest. The shot stunned Callie, the sound making her ears ring. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see. But the masked man dragged her toward Curtis’s body. She started to struggle, but he turned the gun in her direction.
“We could have a murder suicide,” he warned. “Maybe you two were secret lovers…”
She froze.
“Good girl.” With his gloved hand, he placed the pistol into Curtis’s lifeless one, closing his fingers around it as he admired his work. “I’m sorry it had to end like this, Curtis, but you understand. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good.” He straightened up with a sigh. “That was my favorite gun, too. Pity.”
Suddenly the boat jerked forward, the motor whining before finally shutting down. Black smoke plumed from the engine room below.
“What’s going on?” the man holding her arm shouted into the cabin.
Another voice answered, “Something’s wrong with the motor. It froze up.”
“Well, fix it. Now! We need to get to the open sea.”
While he was distracted, Callie wrenched her arm free of his grip and darted for the stick. She tumbled onto the deck, snatching the handle in the process. The masked man rushed toward her as she tipped the live end toward him. He couldn’t stop in time, hitting the stick. He moaned as the voltage hit him, collapsing onto the deck, shaking. Callie’s hands trembled, but she got to her feet.
She eyed the gun in Curtis’s hand. It was an option, or she could just abandon ship right now. She started for the railing when a soaking-wet Navy SEAL pulled himself up over the side.
***
Seeing her alive, gripping the ZAP STICK… Holy shit. There weren’t words for the relief that washed through him. He’d heard the gunshot and feared the worst. But there wasn’t time for a reunion. Not yet.
“How many on board?” he asked.
Tears flooded her eyes, but she held herself together, her voice steady. “Curtis is dead. I shocked that one over there, and there are two more checking the motor. That’s all I’ve seen.”
Hunter snagged one of his knives from his belt. “I jammed the engine propellers, so they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.” He took her hand. “Let’s bail. Nate can come aboard and take care of these guys.”
She clasped his hand as he led her back toward the rail. Behind them, the man on the deck groaned, and she looked over her shoulder to see him clutching his chest. Suddenly, the other two masked men emerged from the cabin. Hunter shoved Callie behind him as one of them landed a solid punch to Hunter’s abdomen. The wind rushed from his lungs, his entire chest aching. He swiped at his attacker with his right hand, and the knife caught his robe.
While the guy was distracted by covering the wound on his arm, Callie rushed from behind Hunter with the stick, shocking the bastard until he sank to the deck, trembling.
Across the deck, the other man had removed the mask off the fallen member of the Order and started modified CPR on him. Hunter tried to tug Callie toward the railing, but she didn’t budge.
***
Callie recognized his face. The man who shot Curtis, the one she’d zapped, was none other than Ted Belkin, Sr. She couldn’t believe that one of the richest, most influential men in Crystal City was part of the Order of the Titans.
The other masked man kept beating his chest. “Don’t you die on me. We need you. You can’t abandon us. Not now. Come on. Breathe!”
She gasped under her breath. “Could that zap have given him a heart attack?”
“Sometimes tasers can cause cardiac arrhythmia. Maybe he had a weak heart.” Hunter tugged her arm. “It’s not your fault. He was going to hurt you. We need to go.”
The masked man lifted his head, his eyes boring into her through the mask. “I’ll kill every one of you. This just got personal, you bitch.”
Before she could respond, Hunter grabbed her around her waist. “Time to go.” He propped her up on the railing beside him. “Jump. Now,” he ordered her, holding her hand tightly.
She screamed as they splashed into the cold water. Somewhere in the darkness, Hunter found her, hauling her back toward the surface. When they burst through, he put his finger to her lips and pulled her in close to the hull of the vessel. Around them, something pelted the water. No noise.
He whispered against her ear. “Silencers.”
They quietly moved around the yacht to the other side. Hunter ventured out, staying low in the water. When he was satisfied, he waved her over. They swam underwater to keep from splashing. When they were just a few boats away, sirens were screaming through the night.
Hunter treaded water. “Are you all right?”
“I’m not injured. Not sure about being all right, though.”
He nodded. “Not injured is good enough for now. Can you keep swimming?”
“Yeah. Where’s Alicia?”
He pointed toward the dock. “She’s on the rocks over there.”
They swam in that direction. She followed Hunter, relieved when her feet finally touched bottom. She stood up and walked out of the water as Alicia hobbled to her feet, arms outstretched for her brother.
Hunter embraced her and scooped her up. “We all need to get dry.”
Callie nodded. The swim still had her heaving for air, but it wouldn’t be long before she’d be shivering like Alicia. Hunter made his way up the rocks with his sister cradled in his arms. Callie followed, the shock of the evening starting to give way to clear thought.
Curtis was dead. Alicia had seen the masked men. How much did she know now? Did they tell her about Curtis being a member of their little “club”?
Once they made it to the pier, the paramedics were already there. Nate must’ve heard the single gunshot and called them. Callie sat on the bumper, waiting as they worked on Alicia.
Hunter came over and stood next to her. “I’ve been in a lot of scary, dangerous places, but I’ve never been truly terrified until tonight.”
She caught his hand, lacing her fingers with his. “I was afraid I’d never see you again.”
He stared down at her, his emotions unreadable. He bent over and brushed his lips to hers. “I need to tell Alicia that Curtis is dead, and we’ve got to tell Nate what happened on that boat.” He swallowed and ran a finger along her jaw. “But once that’s done…”
She knew exactly what he meant and nodded slowly. “Yeah.”
They definitely needed to talk. But he was right. Finishing up this mess came first.
Hunter pressed his lips to her forehead. “You take Nate. I’ve got Alicia.”
Callie stepped back, pulling the wool blanket more tightly around her. “How did you stop the boat?”
The spark in his eyes, the life, Gods how it fed her soul and her muse.
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Like I said, I jammed the propellers. They’re not fond of wood instead of water.”
She shook her head. “You’re amazing, Hunter Armstrong.”
“Right back atcha, Doc.” He winked, and in spite of the hell she’d just survived, an exhausted smile curved her lips.
“See you soon.” She walked toward the flashing red lights, struggling to keep her head up and her expression cool and collected as she stepped right into the thick of the police investigation.
Thanks for checking out my Top 5! Let me know in the comments if I missed one of your favorites! Fight scenes are always exciting to write and I hope you enjoyed reading a few…
Lisa